Airship



June 29, 1926. 1,590,741

D. H. GOOD AIRSHIP Filed oct. 1o, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fler. 8.

Fl e, '7.

f NVENTOR Jgflal H6298@ Gopal ATTORNEY v D. H. GOOD June 29 1926.

AIRSHP riledoct. 1ol 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Dev/a /ouq GroocL BY mw c. ida/m ATTRNEY parts removed for simplicity of detail.

l-vatented llune 29, 1926.

srafras-I PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID HOESA GOOD. F KANSAS CITY, MISSGURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 DAVID C. LANE, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AIRSHIP.

Application filed October 10, 1925. Serial No. 61,738.

My invention relates to aircraft compris` ing characteristics common to heavier than air and also to lighter than air vehicles of4 well known form, together with new, novel cages, pontoons or the like are suspended from and carried by a frame-like series of transverse supporting units including a plu# rality of gas bags arranged in .series as further explained; together with mechanical means for propelling and for auxiliary lifting and descending purposes in combination with said gas bags.

lt will be further shown that plane elements are arranged to function with coordinate mechanical elements to assist in such lifting and descending features.

Further objects of the invention will be disclosed during the description of the drawings in which. Fig. 1 isa side view showing my improvedfairship, vertical sections being removed for purposes of illustration. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the lines ll-ll. Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the airsliip seen in Fig. 1 omitting the gas bag and supporting frame elements therein disclosed. Fig. 4 shows an enlarged plan view of the controlling plane devicesseen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4 iith 1g. 6 is an enlarged plan viewin sect-ion of a unit combination of the propeller shafts,

gears. bearings, mountings and allied' parts disclosed in Fig. 1 and operable in the longitudinal axis of the air-ship. Fig. 7 shows a detail assemblage of anyone of the. plurality of motor driven worm gear mechanisms operable for occasioning turning r` movements of the housing members whereby propellers of the various units may be. posi*- tioned at desired positions for the purposes of the invention- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section on line 9 9 of Fig. 3. Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout yall the figures of thi@l drawin s.

Referring to the drawings, at 10 and 10 are seen a pair of longitudinally extending cages, spaced apart a desired distance.

rFliese cages may be cabs or boats as desired. Beneath these cages at intervals are seen a plurality of coiled springs 11 for cushioning landings, and also for equalizin' thev stresses imposed upon the bottoms o said cages when landing upon uneven ground.

Rigid with the paired cagesflO and 10 are transversely arranged at spaced intervals apart, a plurality of structural frame units of substantially A-shape, including two base or leg elements 12, 12, a cross tie 13 and two. upper pieces inclined towards each i other; these tie pieces 14, 14 join together at the apex 15.

Between any pair of adjacent A-frames will be noted an upper gas bag 16 whose oposite ends are secured to points 15 of said A-frames as seen in Fig. 1. This gas bag 16 is longitudinally disposed in the vertical axis of the airship. Arranged' below and on either side of a bag 16 are two other gas bags 17 and 18 whose ends are secured at the end connections 19, 19 and 20, 2O respectively of the tie bars 13, 13 of the said A-frames.I By means of cables 16A the gas bags are secured to each other and to the cages. The gas bags are preferably lled with helium gases and to'normally have a lifting value equivalent to from to 90 per centof the total dead and live loads of the airship and contents.

lt will be seen that an airship is thus provided which in itself will not have suiiicient lifting qualities to rise; by auxiliary y means, power operating and mechanically functioning, l ena'ble the craft to create additional buoyancy and lifting qualities to enable it to rise vertically and be driven horizontally or otherwise as desired. This gives'characteristics of stability and safety not provided by a strictly heavier thany air-- device.

In combinationwith the foregoing described elements, l combine aI longitudinal series of plane elements which are arranged below the gas bags, transverse to the vertical longitudinal axis of the ship and alternating with said plane elements are arranged a longitudinal series,` of propeller devices.

`These will now be described.

At 21 is a shaft member transversely arranged and rotatable in the bearings 22 carried by the cages 10. Rigid with a shaft 21 is a centrally aligned and disposed plane member 23, the shaft 21 being attached rigidly to the longitudinal axis of the member 23. Cables 24 connect to the opposite side edge portions of the series of plane members 23 as seen at 23 and 23 Fig. 5 and lead around winding drums 25 rigid with the transverse shaft 26 rotatably mounted in bearings 27 on the cages 10. A gear 38x driven by a motor driven worm 36K operable similar to that seen in Fig. 7, rotates the shaft 26 a measured amount whereby the plane members may be adjusted to any desired position since they can be adjusted to stop at any point of shaft rotation.

At 28 is one of a series of propeller devices previously mentioned. 29 is the propeller shaft. 30 a bevel gear carried by shaft 29 enmesh with bevel geary 31 rigid with the transverse drive shaft 32 driven by motor 33. The shaft 32' is rotatably housed in the transverse housing member 34 and turns on the roller bearings 39 arranged intermediate the member 34 and shaft 32. The member. 34 is rotatable in bearings 35 on the cages 10. The Worm gear 36, Fig. 7, driven by reversible motor 37 is enmesh with the gear 38 whose hub 40 is rigid with the housing 34. When the motor 37 is operated, the housing 34 may be rotated on its bearings 35 through any degree; the shaft 29 in the bearings 41 and 41x of the gear case extension 34x of said housing 34,-will be rotated to position the propeller 28 in a desired position. l

Arranged on opposite sides of the ship are a series of propellers 42 and 43. Each is provided with means 'for rotation to desired positions, somewhat similar to that just described for the central series of propellers 28. Thus, propeller 42 has a propeller shaft 44 carrying a bevel gear 45, meshing with a bevel. gear 46 on drive shaft 47 driven by a reversible motor 48. These bevel gears are concealed within the gear case 45. The shaft 47 being' rotatably mounted within a transverse housing member 49 which in turn is revolvably mounted in bearings 50 and provided with a worm gear mechanism 51 analogous to that previously described forFig. 7 and whereby the side propellers such as 42 may be swung through a vertical cirole or arc and be positioned and retained in any swung position. The propellers 43 are operated independently of the propellers 42 by similar means and mechanisms as those just described functioning with propellers 42.

At the rear of the cages are propellers 52 and 53 driven by shafts and gearing ,connecting to the motors 52x and 53X. By means of the direction of power application these propellers 52 and 53 function in combination with rudder mechanism 55 and operate to turn the ship in a manner similar to that employed by marine vessels.

It has been previously mentioned that the gas bags transmit a lifting capacity of from 8O to 90% of the total loads. Assuming the craft on the ground; it being desired to rise vertically, the housings 34 of the central propeller devices would be rotated by prior means described, or s o that the propeller shafts 29 stand vertically, with the several propellers 28 horizontally disposed or as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The motors 33 occasion rotation of the shafts 32 and 29 to` rotate the propellers 28. During this operation the cables 24 are rst operated to bring the several plane surfaces 23 into the dotted vertical position 23x Fig. 5. The propellers are so fashioned that under revolution they serve to create a condition such as will cause the aircraft, already 80-90% buoyant, to rise into the air.

When the craft has ascended to a desired height above the ground, the housings are again rotated so that the propellers assume the dotted position 28x Fig. 1 and the planes 23 are caused to assume the positions shown in Fig. 1. The series of propellers now cause, under rotation, the craft to proceed in a forwardly direction, being similar in action to airplane propeller action. It willl be seen that the air current from a forward propeller 28X will be driven rearwardly against the under side of the planes 23 positioned as in Fig. l thereby creating a tendency of the ship to rise, or to compensate for the tendency of the ship to drop due to the change in position of the propellers 28,

to 28X.

During the first period, the propellers 42 and 43 are arranged as seen in Fig. 2, then swung to the dotted position42x, Fig. 1 to assist propellers 28x for forward movements. To reverse the airship, the propellers 28 would assume the dotted position 28z, Fig. 1, and the planes 23 would be turned to the doted position 23, Fig. 5, and the propelters 42 and 43 reversed to a. position like 43V,

iig'ul.

To descend, the propellers -28 may be swung into the position 28y and the plane 23 again rotated into the position 23".

The purpose of my invention then is to combine safety, with strength, stability and speed. Safety is primarily accomplished by using a plurality of gas bags instead of a single bag or a single bag with compartments. Under war conditions, one or more bags might be destroyed and still a safe landing or other movement effected, since the propellers 42 and 43 could be stopped, reversed or speeded up to offset the loss of a bag or bags such as would affect the equilibrium of the air-craft. These propellers therefore serve to balance the ship as `well as to assist propellers 28 as reviously mentioned. Making the air-cra t ina series of unit sections, that is, apair of A-frames and three bags triangularly arranged as a single section, enables the air-craft to have a condition of some flexibility instead of calling for one of extreme rigidity. This u nit arrangement also permits air ships of any desired capacity to be quickly assembled by merely adding the. desired number of units. In landing the ordinary dirigible airship. it is -found necessary to use extreme care in the arrangement ofi' ballast, both dead and live. For instance, men are positioned on the cat-walk so that they may run back and forth to maintain `relative desired positions of the various elements com osing the dirigible. Then too, inlanding ropes are dropped and an army of men must grasp these depending ropes and pull and haul to get the dirigible down. This is very objectionable; by means of my craft being only E-90% buoyant, it would descend slowly of its own weight if all engines were stopped; while by means of the rotatable members 3l the propellers may be set as previously disclosed so as to screw the aircraft down vertically, rearwardly or forwardly, that is my airship could enter a hanger under its own power and without the necessity of using depending ropes and many men on the ground. l claim that by means of my airship, landings may be accomplished vertically or so that the airship may be brought to rest upon top of buildings, such as government postoiiices and the like, as well as on landing ields.

The cages 10 are provided with ballast tanks 7 0, Fig. 9, provided with respective sea 4valves 71 extending through the bottoms of the cages 10, so that when additional ballast is required for any, reason it is only necessary for the airship to descend to a body of water, the desired quantity of which is admitted to they tanks by opening the valves 71 and 72. Ability to take on or discharge water ballast enables the air ship to be maneuvered under all conditions without necessitating the loss of expensive gas from the gas bags, as heretofore required.

As hereinbeforepointed out, the planes 23 may be adjusted to dilerent angles. This enables said planes 23 to fully cooperate with the propellers 42 and 43 and the water ballast in the tanks 70, in maintaining the equilibrium and' the desired elevation ol the ship when cruising. lllhen the propellers 28 are adj-usted torwardly to advance the air ship and the planes 23 are adjusted to the position disclosed by Fig. l, it is evident that each plane 23 will deflect. the air current from the forward propellerl downwardly out of the path of the following ropeller, so that the latter will 'have relatively quiet air in which to operate and thus prove more efficient in advancing the air ship than if said following propeller operated yin the air `current created by the forward propeller.

In emergency, the ballast tanks 70 may be filled with air so that if the aircraft were disabled and floating `upon a sea or lake,

said ballast tanks would assist in prevent.`

ing the craft Vfrom sinking.

At 73 Figs. l and 2 are shown the pilot cage 'carried by a pontoon 10. These cages v73 will be preferably entirely glass enclosed` or so that visibility in all directions maybe secured.

Such modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims. Having fully described my invention, what l now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination in an airship; a longitudinal series of carrying gas bag elements; a longitudinal series of tr'ansverse structural frame elements as anchors for said gas bags; a longitudinal cage means carried from said structural frame elements; a plurality of propeller elements in the central longitudinal axis `ofthe airiship, a plurality of pla-ne elements inthe central axis o the air ship; a plurality of propeller elements on either side of the cage elements ofthe airship.

2. In combination infan airship; 'a longitudinal series'of carrying gas bags; a longitudinal series oftransverse structural frame elements as anchors for said gas bags; a pair of longitudinally extending cage elements, spaced apart; a longitudinal series of power drive propeller elements, s aced at intervals in the longitudinal axis o the air ship; another series of powerdriven elements alternating with said propeller elements as plane elements; a series of power driven elements arranged at spaced intervals along the opposite .outer side portions of the cage elements; and power driven propeller means and rudder means in combination at the stern of the air-ship.

8. ln combination in an airship; a longitudinal series et carrying gas bags; a longitudinal series of transversely arranged structural frame elements as anchors for said gas bags; a pair of longitudinally extending cage elements, spaced apart, carried by said trame elements; a plurality of propeller elements at spaced intervals along the longitudinal axis of the airship and a plurality ot' plane elements alternating with said propeller elements; a plurality ot' propeller elements arranged along both sides ot the airsliip and at spaced intervals apart'; and means for rotating allot said propeller and plane elements through a vertical aro longitudinally disposed with respect to said airsllip and so as to create a condition of power operable propeller rotationv as specified.

4. In combination as an airship; a longitndinal series of gas bag units; each unit comprising three gas bags, an up er gas bag and two lower gas bags at ei't er sideof the- .upper bag; a plurality of transverse ments, spaced apart, depending from said freine elements; a plurality of propeller ele- 'me'nts at spaced intervals along the longietliidinal axis of the airship and intermediate the cageelements; a plurality of plane elements also inthe longitudinal axis of the airship, means for positioning said planes at any angle desired; a plurality of propeller elements arranged at spaced intervals along the outer sides of the airship; shafting, gearing and motor drivin means for each propellerunit; a housing or each propeller shaft and gearing unit; bearin on said cage elements within which said Inserisyings are rotatablyl mounted and means for rotating said housings so as to change the position of each propeller element for `propeller rotation as desired.

5. In combination as an airship; a longitudinal series of gas bag units; each unit comprising three 'gas bags, one as an u per ba the other two arranged below an on `cit er side of said upper bag; a transverse structural frame intermediate a pair of gas bag units andas end anchorages for each gasbag unit section; lngitudinal cage Ielements carried by said frame elements; the lifting capacity et said gasbags being sufficient to lift a majority of the total airship loads but not in itself suiiicient to lift all of said airship loads; auxiliary mechanical means for propelling said airship and for creating through power application sufficient additional lifting capacity whereby saidl airship may rise vertically or otherwise as desired.

6. In combination as an airship; a longitudinal series of gas lbag units; each unit comprising an upper bag and two lower bags arranged below and on either side of the upper bag; a structural A-frame element attachedto each end of a gasvbag unit; a pair` of longitudinally extending cage elements attached to a leg of said A-frame; a plurality of propeller elements arranged at spaced intervals along the central longitudinal axis of the airship; a motor and drive shafts, gearing and propeller shaft for each propeller; a housing for said shafts, gearing and allied shaft bearings; housing bearings carried by -said cages within which said housings are rotatably mounted, a motor, a worm and a worm gear cooperatingwith said housing means for occasioning swinging rotatable movements to the propeller shafts so that the positions of a propeller may be varied at will and as specified; a-plurality of plane elements in the central longitudinal axis of theair'ship, a motor worm gear Yoperatingl a shaft being rigid wit a p eine and' andshaft, said whereby said plane member may be l ivoted` to a desired position cable means` the various plane elements together; side propeller mechanisms similar to the central propeller mechanisms and means for rpeit ose propeller shafts intermediate said cages and adjacent the plane surface; some of said shafts extending beyond the side portions of said cages and having geared connection to propeller mechanisms arranged alongl the sideportions of said airship; all of .said propeller mechanisms being mounted within housing elements, motordriven and o er'- able .to rotate to desired adjusted positions for propeller rotation in varied selected positions.

8. A unit section in airship construction comprising an upper gas bag and two lower gas ags arranged and secured intermediate two A--frame structural members and a pair of cage elements suspended from the frame members; propeller mechanisms arranged along the sides of said cages and propeller mechanisms and plane members arranged intermediate said cages and power mechanisms for rotating and position said propeller and plane members for the purposes of the invention.

9. In an airship; an upper gas bag and two lower gas bags; frame elements connecting to and depending from said aa bags; a pair of cage elements suspen ed from the frame members; propeller mechanisms arranged along the sides of said cages; propeller mechanisms arranged in a series intermediate said lcages and plane members in series and in alternating sequence with said propellers intermediate said cages; and power mechanisms for rotating and .positioning said propeller and plane members.Y j

` 10. In an airship; gas bags in combination; frame elements connecting to said gas bags and depending therefrom vas carrylng iml supports;, a pair of longitudinalcage ele- -r ments in parallelism suspended from and carried by said supports; propeller mechanisms arranged along the sides of said lao l cages; propeller mechanisms and plane sur# races "nranged in an alternating series with lbers and a plurality `of plane members also intermediate said cages members, each plane member being arranged adjacent a propeller mechanism; means for pivoting a plane member so as to present a plane surface in a desired relative position to receive air currents driven thereagainst from said propeller; and means for rotating the propeller housing through 360 degrees to permit propeller rotation in a desired relative position to cooperate with said plane member 1n serving to tend to drive the airship in a desired direction.

12; In combination as an air ship, a longitudinal series of gas bag units, each unit comprising three gas bags, an upper gas bag and two lower gas bags at either side df the upper bag, a plurality of transverse frame Aelements at spaced intervals or so as to introduce a structural frame element as a gas bag anchorage intermediate two gas bag units, a pair of longitudinal cage elements spaced apart 'depending from said frame elements, and a plurality of propeller elements at spaced intervals along the lon- -gitudinal axis of the air ship and intermediate the cage elements.

13. In combination as an air ship, a 1onsignature.

gitudinal series of gas bag units, each unit comprising three gas jbags, an upper gasA bag and two lower gas bags at either side of the upper bag, a plurality .of transverse frame elements at Vspaced intervals or so as 'to introduce a structural frame element as a gas bag anchorage intermediate two gas bag units, a pair of longitudinal cage elements spaced apart depending from said frame elements; a plurality of propeller elements at spaced intervals along the longitu- 'dinal axis of the air ship and intermediate the/cage elements, aiy pfluralityoi' plane elements also in the longitudinal yaxis of the air ship, and means for positioning said planes at any angle desired.

14. In an airship,` gas bags in combination;'elements connecting to said gas bags and depending therefrom as carrying supports; a pair of longitudinally extending cage members; a plurality of propeller mechanisms arranged as a longitudinal series intermediate said cage members and a plurality of plane members also intermediate said cage members, each plane member being arranged adjacent a proplellea' mechanism; means for pivoting a plane member so as to present a plane surface in a desired relative/ position to receive air currents driven thereagainst :from saidV propeller.; and means for rotating the propeller airship in a desired direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiximy DAvIn Hosea eoon. 

